about protein

by Dr. Adiel Tel-Oren MD

Contrary to popular belief, we needn’t worry about getting enough protein, because it is more than adequately available in plant foods, and we utilize it very efficiently. In fact, we should be more concerned about avoiding excess protein in order to prevent chronic, degenerative disease. Proteins are simply long chains of amino acids held together by peptide bonds. It is not protein, but rather amino acids that operate functionally in our body. When we digest protein, we break it down into its constituent parts: amino acids and peptides. Because we evolved in the tropics where we ate mostly greens, fruit and very little protein, our physiology adapted to absorb amino acids very efficiently. We have an amino acid pool, from which we can reabsorb, or recycle the amino acids in our body. Protein deficiency occurs almost always in cases of extreme caloric deprivation, wherein amino acids that would have otherwise gone to primary bodily functions are diverted to energy production. In order to avoid a deficiency, we only require the 20 to 30 grams of protein we lose on an average per day to normal body activities. Even strict vegans end up getting roughly double this amount. Clearly, it is needless to worry about obtaining enough protein. Rather, we should try to avoid getting too much for the following reasons: 1) Excess protein intake leads to dirty, inefficient energy production, leaving behind toxic waste residues that the body must work hard to eliminate; 2) Digesting protein, particularly from animal sources, is energy-intensive. We have to manufacture a lot of protein in order to metabolize protein-rich foods. In this way, protein is a moving target: the more you consume, the more your body requires; 3) The long length of the human digestive tract and lack of fiber in animal foods prolong the transit time of proteins in the gut resulting in putrefaction and consequent dysfunction of the cells lining the gut, i.e., leaky gut syndrome; 4) High protein intake elevates cortisol levels in the blood, leading to insulin resistance, obesity, reduced protein synthesis, and tissue degradation; 5) Ingesting excess protein increases tissue acidity and leaches important minerals from the body in order to buffer this acidity. This is why the incidence of osteoporosis is highest in countries that consume the greatest amounts of protein. In fact, scientific studies show a strong positive correlation between the level of animal protein intake and the incidence of chronic diseases in any given society. Ideally, we should be able to meet all of our amino acid needs with clean sources like greens and other vegetables, but because our modern environments are so polluted, our stress levels so high, and our foods less than nutritionally replete, we have no choice but to depart somewhat from what is totally natural in regard to our dietary choices. We now need to consume more grains and legumes, as they are particularly rich sources of amino acids necessary for both detoxification and for the formation of important antioxidants. We must remember, however, to rotate the types of grains and legumes we consume on a four-day basis in order to avoid developing allergies and sensitivities to the proteins they contain. In general, we must learn to strike a balance between minimizing unnecessary protein whenever possible and consuming sufficient amino acids to meet the increased nutritional demands of modern life. This means avoiding useless, harmful protein powders/supplements and toxic animal proteins, and instead consuming wholesome grains and legumes on a rotational basis. In this manner, we will go a long way toward enhancing our health, while preventing toxicity and degenerative disease. Article written by Lauren Lander for Better World Cuisine, inspired by Dr. Tel-Oren